Simple things make a big difference

[rdsmith3]

For a variety of reasons, I did not ride my bike from November through March. Last year, I adjusted the valves myself, synchronized the throttle bodies, replaced the spark plugs and air filter. It ran OK, but it was still a bit rough at times and did not always start easily. That is my recollection from last fall. I still have the package of new spark plugs I had bought, intending to see if a different set of plugs would make a difference.

Fast forward to March 2010. I went to start my bike, and the battery could not quite turn it over. I replaced my battery with an Odyssey, and also the fuel filter that I had not replaced last year (too lazy at the time).

Wow, what a difference these two simple things make. The bike fires right up now. I don't know if the fuel filter was obstructed, or if I had some bad gas that never quite emptied out, but the bike idles better now, too.

[sweatmark]

Thanks for inspiration for that fuel filter replacement... not looking forward to learning the in-tank module reinstallation tricks.

Will have to include as part of big seasonal service this month, with hopes that my Rockster will start just a bit easier when cold.

[macx]

I had sort of the same problem with the engine - not so much rough idling as
increasingly bad vibration over an increasingly wide rpm range.

I had bought the bike with fairly low miles and did the rockers & valves and
bought the throttle body balancer and after doing that it seemed to run OK.
The plugs looked clean and were gapped properly so just reinstalled them.
I didn't know at the time how often these bikes need fresh plugs, even if the
existing ones are clean and look good. I guess I'm used to auto electronic
ignitions that run so many miles on the same set of plugs so figured the BMW
electronic ignition surely should be able to do the same.

Wrong! Finally got so bad I broke down and changed plugs. Only thing left
to try (after trying a new stick coil, one side after the other). What a difference!
Vibration just about disappeared. (A set of heavier bar weights helped, too)

At the same time I had a high idle problem that I finally fixed by doing what is
normally verboten - backed off both manual idle adjustment screws and started
from scratch, using my throttle body balancer to good effect, and then readjusting
the tps with my multimeter.

Anyway - somewhere in the course of all these gyrations I figured I'd best check
that fuel filter. After reading about the hassles involved, and realizing I sure as
heck wouldn't want to end up having to replace a clogged filter "on the road",
I took a look at the external filter article. Sounded like a plan.

Never being satisfied until something is "just right" (I'm one of those "it's either
right or it's wrong" kind of tinkerers), I didn't want to use that big long loop
of efi hose, so went with the smaller filter and, after several cut-and-retries,
got things to really fit tucked up really nice but still accessible. SO "worth it."!

Now bad dreams of that internal filter disaster sneaking up on me no longer haunt my sleep!

http://www.mediafire.com/?dj2jjdyjlm0

[Dr. Strangelove]

little OT, but
Macx--thanks for the photo report.

I am really considering doing this, being a veteran of changing the oem one.

Do you have a picture of the mods necessary inside the tank--where the oem filter resides?

John

[jas]

I have also relocated my fuel filter, the only difference is that it is secured on the top of my airbox with some velcro tabs I put together. I went with keeping it under the tank just for a little added protection but doubt it really matters. As soon as I can find the SD card with the photos of the project, I'll post them.

[Dr. Strangelove]

great.

I want to see how the plumbing is rearranged inside the tank.

tia

[macx]

little OT, but
Macx--thanks for the photo report.

I am really considering doing this, being a veteran of changing the oem one.

Do you have a picture of the mods necessary inside the tank--where the oem filter resides?

John

I'm very sorry, but no.

It's really quite simple, of course, when you see it. And having done it, you probly can
remember at least basically how the oem filter is installed

The fuel filter is attached via 2 short rubber hoses and those difficult crimped on hose clamps.
One of the hoses is a molded 90 degree corner. If a generic 90 degree molded hose were
available it would make that part of it easier. I guess some folks have even re-used that and
added a longer length of hose to replace the oem short hose and filter, and I believe used a
short piece of hard fuel line appropriately belled at each end and a couple clamps to join the
90 degree hose with the new longer hose replacing the filter. That would make it easier to
install and avoid any problems with th long loop of hose you need if you don't have a molded
90 degree hose section.

I just removed both hoses along with the filter and replaced with a loop of hi pressure efi
hoses and "regular" efi hose clamps such as you find in any auto parts store.

Without having the molded 90 degree corner, one just has to loop it and make it long enuf
to avoid a kink where the oem molded 90 degree corner was.

And then also be careful to loop it as you insert that assembly back into the tank and carefully
"stuff" the loop into the tank so it doesn't hang up and, again, get forced into a sharp corner
situation and get kinked (restricting fuel flow) as well as making sure it doesn't interfere with
the operation of the low fuel level sensor. Slow and easy and gentle and watchfulness is the
best advice.

If you cut the hose to the length I spec'd in my little write-up it will be long enuf to avoid
any kinks.

Not counting the extra fiddling for cut-fit trials to get just the right hose lengths, I still
would have spent considerable time to do a "regular" inside filter change. I'm sure that,
with repeated practice, the time required lessens as one gains experience doing it, but
now I can change the filter in a couple minutes with a simple flat blade screwdriver.
Very importantly, also, on the road and without any special tools, even at night.
And no worries that I messed up the low fuel senser, no removing the tank, and most importantly
no worries about that O ring leaking (as well as having to get a new one and having it with you
in case of problems on the road). With my luck, that was bound to happen sooner or
later if I did repeat oem filter replacements, or get stuck having to do it on the road.

Good luck!

[Dr. Strangelove]

Thanks

I think I am going to do this for all the reasons you state. It was a real pita to do it the one time I did it, but I was surprised at all the gunk the filter caught.

I wonder if a piece of 5/16 brass/copper tubing could be bent by a plumber to do the 90 degree bend and then just re use the existing hoses? Think that would work?

Again, I totally agree with you view on this and because of the boonies where I sometimes find myself w Stella! this mod demands attention.

John

[Dr. Strangelove]

The fuel filter is attached via 2 short rubber hoses and those difficult crimped on hose clamps.

I had a plumber bend a length of 3/8" copper tubing 180 degrees with a diameter of the curve about 2"

I suppose I don't have to use the full arc, but just enough of the bend to fit, to connect. I will post pix when I do this.


But my question is: Is 3/8 too big/small/just right?

I am thinking that it is only 1/16" bigger than 5/16 which exists elsewhere in the fuel system, but I don't recall the size of the connecting tubing to the fuel filter...does anyone?

And if it is slightly bigger, is that a big deal? Smaller could pose a problem, I'd guess

any advice appreciated
TIA
John

[Sunbeemer]

I looked here http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=16&fg=05 to see if it said what size the hose was, but it didn't. (It did say how much the fuel pump assembly costs to replace... )

I think I remember that it was the same size hose as the external hoses = 5/16" or 8mm. It might be difficult to install this size hose on 3/8" tubing and it may split (over time). I'd test a spare piece of soaped up hose on your pipe. Good luck!

[n9owk66]

dont make it hard just take filter out use short copper where fillter was at

[Dr. Strangelove]

ok, good. I understand. The KISS principle at play.

I will try to fit the copper tubing. If I need 3/8 hose I will get a short length

thanks

[Dr. Strangelove]

Finally bit the bullet and started this project. And I am again reminded what a pain in the derrier it is to go in the tank and fool with that d*(m assembly.

It was a simple thing to replace the filter. Straight shot. I used the straight brass tubing I had used back when I removed my OEM quik disconnects. 5/16 is the size and with just a little, very little pressure, it was a good fit. Those are the OEM hoses they connect.

Was a little concerned that the clamps did not have a ridge or bevel to grab against on the tubing, but they seem very tight and they are at least as tight as they were when they served as disconnect replacements and there was never a leak issue there.

Finally finagled the big flange back into position, the vent(?) hoses being a challenge to get back on. But it is together now. Still have to install the outboard filter. Got the Purolator replacement for the Wix 33095.

before


after


when I dumped the gas from the filter, it was very clean, much cleaner than when I did this the first time. Prob have about 25k miles on this filter.

JOhn